Cost of Living Comparison Between Santo Domingo and Jarabacoa Cost of Living Comparison Between Santo Domingo and Jarabacoa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,093 per month in Santo Domingo vs $735 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,825 per month in Santo Domingo vs $1,223 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,557 per month in Santo Domingo vs $1,710 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

Santo Domingo costs about 49% more than Jarabacoa, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Santo Domingo and Jarabacoa are more affordable than the global median – Santo Domingo 19% lower, Jarabacoa 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.70 DOP 506

$8.51 DOP 495

2.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.3 DOP 2,984

$51.5 DOP 2,998

-0.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.39 DOP 430

$7.41 DOP 431

-0.27%

Cappuccino

$2.64 DOP 154

$2.63 DOP 153

0.38%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 DOP 59.6

$1.04 DOP 60.5

-1.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 DOP 47.82

$0.79 DOP 46.15

3.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 DOP 151

$2.50 DOP 146

3.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 DOP 305

$5.17 DOP 301

1.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 DOP 81.2

$1.34 DOP 78.2

4.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 DOP 104

$1.80 DOP 105

-1.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 DOP 90.4

$1.56 DOP 91.0

-0.64%

Eggs

$2.21 DOP 129

$2.23 DOP 130

-0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 DOP 422

$7.34 DOP 427

-1.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 DOP 377

$6.43 DOP 374

0.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.82 DOP 629

$11.07 DOP 644

-2.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 DOP 190

$3.30 DOP 192

-1.21%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 DOP 53.5

$0.86 DOP 49.89

6.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 DOP 175

$2.98 DOP 173

1.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 DOP 117

$2.02 DOP 117

-0.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 DOP 148

$2.53 DOP 147

0.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 DOP 137

$2.40 DOP 140

-1.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 DOP 65.7

$1.14 DOP 66.4

-0.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 DOP 56.1

$0.92 DOP 53.5

4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.64 DOP 328

$5.94 DOP 345

-5.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 DOP 633

$10.64 DOP 619

2.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 DOP 152

$2.77 DOP 161

-5.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 DOP 190

$3.19 DOP 186

2.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 DOP 32.88

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.5 DOP 3,924

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 DOP 194

$3.43 DOP 200

-2.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 DOP 122

$2.21 DOP 129

-4.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 DOP 343

$5.84 DOP 340

0.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 DOP 74.9

$1.32 DOP 76.5

-2.27%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.3K DOP 1.5M

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

0.31%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$31.6K DOP 1.8M

$31.4K DOP 1.8M

0.77%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$77.6 DOP 4,515

$77.1 DOP 4,482

0.73%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.78 DOP 1,500

$25.24 DOP 1,468

2.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.34 DOP 2,056

$36.72 DOP 2,136

-3.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.18 DOP 2,046

$20.20 DOP 1,175

74.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.20 DOP 826

Cinema Ticket

$6.59 DOP 383

$6.94 DOP 404

-5.04%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$271 DOP 15.7K

$268 DOP 15.6K

0.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,996 DOP 465.1K

$8,157 DOP 474.5K

-1.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 DOP 3,428

$60.7 DOP 3,532

-2.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 DOP 3,006

$52.3 DOP 3,041

-1.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 DOP 5,544

$97.3 DOP 5,660

-2.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 DOP 6,825

$113 DOP 6,601

3.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$560 DOP 32.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 DOP 16.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 DOP 68.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 DOP 38.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,164 DOP 125.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,193 DOP 69.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 DOP 37.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.9

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Santo Domingo: June 7, 2026

Last update for Jarabacoa: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Santo Domingo versus $52.0 in Jarabacoa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $247 – making Santo Domingo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Santo Domingo vs Jarabacoa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santo Domingo is pricier by about 49%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,640 per month in Santo Domingo and $1,103 in Jarabacoa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,093 in Santo Domingo and $735 in Jarabacoa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $271 per month in Santo Domingo and $268 in Jarabacoa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jarabacoa, where all-in costs run around $735, than in Santo Domingo at $1,093. In Jarabacoa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santo Domingo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jarabacoa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Jarabacoa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Santo Domingo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.